In sharp contrast, imports grew at a faster rate of 20.6 per cent year-on-year to $39.7 billion in February, translating into a trade deficit of $15.1 billion.
India's exports recorded the slowest pace of growth in three months at 4.3 per cent year-on-year at USD 24.6 billion in February, mainly due to the global slowdown.
The government on Friday said rupee appreciation has not been "that sharp" as to hurt Indian exports, rebuffing exporters' claims that there was a need to curtail FII inflows into the economy, which are largely responsible for the appreciation against the dollar.
With the US and Europe imposing sanctions on Iran, India sees an opportunity to boost its trade with it by tapping the sectors which would be affected by the restrictions imposed by the West.
"You see, I have been in Commerce for the last seven years and I am perhaps the only factor that provides continuity in this ministry," Khullar says with unconcealed pride.
Mahindra Satyam has approached the Commerce Ministry for more time to develop the three IT Special Economic Zones in Andhra Pradesh as it has decided to go slow on its expansion plans due to the slowdown.
Imports, too, grew by 41.8 per cent to $38.4 billion in August, translating into a trade deficit of $14 billion during the month, as per the data.
While no reason has been given for postponement of the BoA meeting, commerce secretary Rahul Khullar is indisposed, an official said.
Senior officials from G-12, including the US, EU, India and China, stepped up efforts to keep the Doha trade negotiations on rails by placating Brazil, Argentina and South Africa, which have specific concerns with trade in industrial goods. Brazil's chief trade negotiator Roberto Azevedo threatened to leave the negotiations if the special flexibilities for the four MERCOSUR Customs Union members -- Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay -- are not conceded.
India's exports grew by 13.2 per cent in July to $16.24 billion year-on-year, a rate much lower than witnessed in the first three months of this fiscal because of the fading base effect.
Batting for exporters hit hard by global downturn, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma on Monday met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and made out a strong case for fiscal relief for the export sector in the Budget next month.
Exports growth was lower in April compared to the robust growth of 54 per cent in March.
The study has been conducted by Ernst & Young on behalf of EEPC-India, the apex body of engineering goods exporters.
During April-February, 2011, the country's merchandise shipments grew by 31.4 per cent to $208.2 billion, surpassing the export target of $200 billion for the entire 2010-11 fiscal.
The country's exports, which came under severe pressure due to the global slowdown after October 2008, had aggregated a shade lower than $13 billion in January 2009.
India's exports turned around in November after falling for 13 straight months, posting a growth of 18 per cent to touch $13.2 billion, but the expansion was attributed to base effect.
The country's trade deficit widened yet again, to $9.7 billion (Rs 43,500 crore) in October, compared to $9.12 billion in the earlier month. Also, after a span of three to four years, merchandise exports have surpassed the growth rate of imports in the same month.
Imports for October stood at $27.7 billion, widening the trade gap to $9.7 billion.
Imports, too, jumped by 32.2 per cent year-on-year to $29.67 billion in August, according to the government data released in New Delhi on Friday.
The Union government on Friday said it intended to lift the ban on export of cotton, imposed last month in the wake of a steel rise in prices, from October 1.
India's exports remained robust, as overseas shipments expanded by 35.1 per cent to $16.1 billion in May on the back of improving demand in western markets.
India's imports surged by a never-seen-before $8 billion in April, indicating the rapid pace of domestic economic activity, even as the government downplayed the 36.2 per cent jump in exports.
India's exports have declined by 13.8 per cent to $13.6 billion in September, says Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar.
In April-August this fiscal, the overseas shipment contracted by 31.3 per cent to $63.9 billion from $93.1 billion in the same period last year. For the first five month of 2009-10, three sectors -- rice, tobacco and fruits and vegetables --have shown positive growth, commerce secretary Rahul Khullar said.
"The 46th meeting of the BoA on SEZs to consider proposals for setting up of SEZs and other miscellaneous requests is scheduled to be held on May 31," it said.
India's exports grew by an annualised 34.4 per cent to $ 23.9 billion in April maintaining a tempo of the last financial year despite a decline as compared to 44 per cent growth in March.
In the absence of progress on services negotiations in the WTO, India is sending a team of officials to Europe to strike a deal in the services area with the EU under the Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement.
The government on Thursday launched a Grievances Redress Cell for exporters and importers in a bid to improve the of the directorate general of foreign trade.
Telcos demanding OTT players to come under some sort of regulation as they are eating into their SMS and voice revenues.
This is not the first time Trai has been accused of bias; and, in my memory, never have such charges of bias been leveled against any other regulatory body, says Rahul Khullar.
The 75th Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path on Friday showcased India's rich cultural diversity, military prowess, and 'Nari Shakti'.
TRAI to soon put in place a new set of 'service quality benchmarks' to monitor call drop
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Chairman Rahul Khullar said insurance companies have asked for 4-6 weeks to deal with unsolicited commercial call or SMS.
VoIP services include communications applications such as Skype, Line and Viber
Trai chairman Rajiv Khullar says, India has to pull up its stocks in order to achieve financial inclusion.
'Mere fundamentals will not do the trick,' cautions former commerce secretary Rahul Khullar.
The mesmerizing march included elite marching contingents, missiles, warplanes, surveillance gadgets and lethal weapon systems, with French President Emmanuel Macron gracing the occasion as the chief guest.
The 69 retired bureaucrats claimed that the country's public health infrastructure was crying out for investment
'Tinkering will not do. Merely staggering spectrum dues comes nowhere near solving the problem,' cautions Rahul Khullar.
Regulator has suggested a lower reserve price even in service areas where spectrum was sold in November 2012.
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